Process of producing shoes



Nov. 11, 1952 A. E. MURRAY PROCESS OF PRODUCING SHOES 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 1, 1949 INVENTOR Nov.1l, 1952 A. E. MURRAY 2,617,130

PROCESS OF PRODUCING SHOES Filed Dec. 1, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTO NEY Nov. 11, 1952 A. E. MURRAY 2,617,130

PROCESS OF PRODUCING SHOES Filed Dec. 1, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet Z5 Patented Nov. 11, 1952 UNITED- STATES ATENT OFFICE PROCESS OF PRODUCING SHOES Alan E. Murray, New York, N. Original application September 17, 1945, Serial No. 616,768. Divided and this application De cember 1, 1949, Serial No. 130,455

My invention relates particularly to a. process of making shoes which adequately and efiectively fit the feet of the wearer for which they may be made.

This application is a division of my 'copending application upon Process of Producing Shoes and Product Thereof, Ser. No. 616,768, filed September 17, 1945, now abandoned.

The object of my invention is to provide a method of making shoes which closely conform to, or accurately fit, the individual feet for which they are made. Another object is to provide a method of making shoes which may be made expeditiously and at a comparatively low cost. Still another object of my invention is to provide a process which not only produces an. accurate fit for the individual feet for which the shoes are made, but of such a character as to make it possible for the individual person even to make shoes to accurately fit his own feet. Afurther object is to provide a process by means of which the shoes not only fit the feet with accuracy but which assume a conformation according with the natural angular positions of the feet with regard to the supporting surface of the ground. Again, a further object is to produce the shoes in such a manner that they not only acquire a static shape of the feet, but have the dynamic conformation of the feet in action. Further objects of my invention will appear from the detailed description of the same hereinafter.

While my invention is capable of being carried out in many different ways, for the purpose of illustration I have shown only certain ways of carrying out the same in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. l is a side perspective of a shoe made in accordance with my invention, showing the outer side of the shoe made for the left foot;

Fig. 2 is a vertical cross-section of the same;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the same;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of two monks cloth layers used in. making a pad in producing the shoe;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the two sheets in Fig. 4, joined together;

Fig. 6 is a plan view of a paper sheet used in making a pattern;

Fig. 7 is a plan view of a cut-out paper pattern, shown as applied over the double layer of monks cloth made from the two monks cloth layers shown in Fig. 4.;

Fig. 8 is a plan view of a cut-out double sheet of the monks cloth conforming to the pa er pattern shown as placed above another sheet of monks cloth having a wide margin around the foot-shaped double sheet of monks cloth;

5 Claims. (01. 12- 14a Fig. 9 is a plan view showing a transverse opening which. was cut through one layer of the monks cloth preparatory to stufling the pad formed from the three layers of monks cloth:

Fig. 10 is an endelevation of the layers shown in Fig. 8;

Fig. 11 is a plan view of the completed pad conforming to the shape of the foot after the same has been stuffed. with a suitable filling material;

Fig. 12 is a vertical sectioncf the stufied pad in its inverted. position;

Fig. 13 is an inverted plan view of another wider layer of monks cloth, shown asready to be applied over the pad after completion of the latter; I

Fig. 14 is a plan view of a top front piece of monks cloth provided to overlie the front upper portion of the foot; I

Fig. 15 is a plan'view of amonks cloth. counter piece for covering the back of the foot;

Fig. 16 is a plan view of a counter reinforcing strip;

Fig. 17 is a plan view of an eyelet strip tobe located over the topmost ridge at the front of the foot; 7

Fig. 1-8 .isa side elevation of the shoe showing the top front. piece and the rear counter piece as wlelll as the counter reinforcing strip located in p ace;

Fig. "I9 is a. cross-sectional detail taken on the line 19-49 of Fig. 18 showing the padlocated in the upper;

Fig. '20 is a horizontal section showing the joining of the frontv top piece and. the counter piece;

Fig. 21 isa plan view showing the eyelet strip located 'i'nplace; g

Fig. 22 is an underneath view of the shoe, partly broken away, after the removal of the pad therefrom, preparatory to completing the lower portion of the shoe;

Fig; 23' is a horizontal section. showing-the front top piece and "the heel piece as well. as the outside cover pieces; and

Fig. "24 is a vertical section showing the bottom of the s'hoe'read'y to receive the mud.

In carrying out my invention I provide a pad I made, as shown in Fig. 4, with two sheets of monks cloth 2 and '3, each of. whichis supplied on one side with a coating of asel f-vulcanizing latex or seif vulcanizing synthetic rubber substL tute, as tor instance, neoprene, or a seif-vuleaniz ing vinyl resin, which is in. the formof a liquid. preferably of a heavy character having the consisten'cy of a very heavy cream. This liquid latex, which is a water suspension of the rubber or rubber substitute prepared so as to be selfvulcanizing, is then allowed to set. Thereafter, I brush onto the coated sides of the respective monks cloth sheets 2 and 3 a thin tacky coating of rubber cement and fasten them to each other by bringing the coated faces together, Fig. 5.

The person for whose feet the shoes are to be made is then seated on a chair, located preferably on a table, so that his feet are supported on the top of the table. Thereupon, a sheet of paper 4 is placed on the table under each of the feet and an outline 5 is made on each of said sheets by running a pencil point around and vertically beneath the edge of each foot. Inasmuch as the shoes for both feet are made in the same manner, the making of only one of the shoes will be described in detail herein. After the outline 5 has been made for the right foot on the sheet of paper 4, the sheet is pulled from under the prospective users foot and the letter R is placed in pencil thereon so as to avoid any possible interchange or inversion of the patterns for the two feet in the course of making the two shoes. As shown, for example, in my Patent No. 2,396,926, March 10, 1946, a new heel line 6 may be made to give the support for the foot additional length and additional width, as shown in Fig. 6. Also, as shown in said patent, a new instep line I may be drawn well inside the pencil outline 5, for example, as shown in Fig. 6, about where the foot contacts with the sheet of paper. Thereupon a pattern 8, with the changed outlines 6 and 'l, is cut therefrom with a pair of scissors. This pattern 8 is then cemented, with rubber cement, to a composite sheet 9, made as stated above, that is, by combining the two coated sheets 2 and 3, and this double sheet 9 is cut out around the margin of the paper pattern 8 so as to produce a double sheet 10 having a shape which conforms to the changed contours of the outline 5 of the foot. A mark R should then be placed on the same after stripping off the paper pattern 8, to avoid interchange or inversion thereof. The double sheet I0, conforming to the altered outline of the foot, as shown in Fig. 10, is then placed over another piece of monks cloth I l which latter is thereupon cut out with a margin substantially 1 wide all around the double sheet II), as shown in Fig. 8. The remaining portion of the element It is then dissociated from the sheet Hi and powdered plaster of Paris is then dusted over one face of the wide layer I! so "that, after this dusting.. the face with the plaster of Paris, upon being placed into contact with the latex remaining on one face of the double sheet l0 after the stripping of the paper pattern 8 therefrom, will cause the latex to set more rapidly by the withdrawal of water, etc. The margin-of the wide layer H is brushed over the surface thereof with latex all around the margin of the dusted face, and, in addition, the latex is applied from the edge of double sheet In to about the same distance 1" within the marginof the exposed face of the double sheet "I all around the same. The margin of the sheet H is now bent over the edge of the double sheet lfl all round the same onto the margin of said latex-treated exposed face of the double sheet [0, as shown in Fig. 9, and a number of puckers radiating around the folded-in margin of the layer H are formed, one preferably'opposite the big toe, another opposite the rearof the heel, two more at the sides of the heel, and two more, one at the side and the other at the front portion of the composite sheet. Any number of such puckers may be formed in this way, but usually from 6 to 12 of such puckers will be found sufficient, so that in this way each of the puckers can be pinched between the fingers and pushed out around the margin of the double sheet It so as to squeeze out any excess liquid. All of these puckens are now out off with a scissors so that the resistant edges meet and the folded-in margin of the layer II fits together accurately around the margin of the double sheet 10, as shown in Fig. 9. When the latex is set sufficiently, a transverse slit [2 is made across the shank or there'abouts on the side of the sheet l0 carrying the folded over margin of the layer H, the said slit [2 being made with a scissors or razor blade so as to cut through only one of the layers 2 and 3. Thereafter, a knife is inserted through the slit 12 between the two layers 2 and 3 to separate them throughout the whole area of the sheet ID, thus loosening up the cement between the two layers 2 and 3. The cavity now formed between the two layers 2 and 3 is then stuffed, preferably by over-stufiing, tightly so as to produce a very firm pad with any suitable stuffing materials. I may use for this purpose, for example, a body of finely divided material such as cotton flocking containing short fibres to form a flowable filling material, the said fibres having been previously subjected to bleaching and solvents to remove the oil and other foreign materials from-the cellulose fibres. Or, instead',"fo'r example, the pad can be stuffed with sand, wood, flour, or sawdust, etc. The slit [2 is then sealed over with a monks cloth layer 13 fastened in place by rubber cement. In order to distribute uniformly the materials in the pad, it is hammered repeatedly or beaten with a 2 x 4" piece of wood of any desired length, Or, instead, I may'stuil" the pad with a mud of latex and wood flour, etc., having a fiowable consistency which will set, to form a solid, so as to accurately fit the bottom of the foot. The mud may be made like the mud hereinafter described in respect to the making of which the application is a continuation in part of my cop ending application upon Process of Shoe Making and Product Thereof, Ser. No. 448,474, filed June 25, 1942, now Patent No. 2,396,926, granted March 19, 1946. The pad made in'this way may, if desired, remain as a pad in the completed shoe, in which event the layer ofmonks' cloth l4, hereinafter referred to, will be "omitted and theapplication of the mud to fill in the cavity in said monks cloth [4, as hereinafter referred to, will likewise be omitted. However, the completed shoe in other respects will remain the same as hereinafter described as when the pad 9 has been removed.

I now provide another piece of monks cloth l4" conforming in general to the margin of the foot but wider than the layer If after the margin of the latter has been folded in, the underside of this layer HI being dusted with plaster of Paris and placed over the pad I with its margin extending outwardly of the pad I, the latter being provided with-a marginal coating of latex [5 extending all around the pad 1 but below the plane of greatest width of the inverted position of the pad, as shownin Fig. 13. The foot is then placed on top of the layer 14 while being pressed down with the weight of the foot and leg, while being supportedon the pad. The layer I4 is now pushed up by the fingers between the respective toes of the foot and into, the transverse-space between the rear ends of the I toes of the prospective wearer while momentarily raising an edge of the foot, preferably at the front of the foot, together with the layer [4, from the pad I, thus resulting in the formation in the layer M of a pyramid l6 beneath the foot at the area where the toes join the ball of the foot. While the foot is still on the top-of the layer l4 covering the pad I, the marginal-edges of the layer 14 are then moved downwardly around the periphery of the pad [carrying the latexlayer l5 so as tostick the said margins to said latex layer 1-5 extending. around the pad i. Thereupon a layer of the latex is applied all around the outer margin of the. layer It on the pad 1 and a roughly oversize top front piece of monks cloth I! is now cutout, of such a shape that it has. a curved recess l3, and is positioned on the foot and located opposite the front partof the ankle, with two straight edges l9 and extending vertically along the sides of the ankle. This. top. front piece I1 is now caused .to adhere tothe latex around the outer margin of the layer l4 (Figs. 18 and 19) the. toe portion of the piece [1 is puckeredso'as to fit on the frontof the big toe of the foot and this puckered portion is then cut off, leaving a V-shaped cut out 2|, as shown. by the dotted line in Fig. 14, the twosides of which cut out, however, meet over the front of the big toe. Preferably, before the top front piece I! is thus applied to the foot it will be dusted on the underside, with plaster of Paris, where it comes in contact with the latex applied to the layer I4 to accelerate the setting of the latex. A roughly oversize counter piece 22 of monks cloth is now out out and dusted on the underside. margins, with plaster of Paris, where it comes in contact with the latex on the margin of layer It and the vertical marginal portions of the front top piece I? are brushed with the latex, following which the counter piece 22. is appliedover the heel of the foot so that the same adheres to the rear of the pad I and to the vertical marginal portions l9 and 28 of the front piece 1?. Thereupon, a counter and quarter reinforcing piece 23 of monks cloth is cut out and after being dusted on the underside with plaster of Paris, and the side and rear portions of the front piece :1 and the counter piece 22 having been brushed with. latex, the counter reinforcing piece 23 is fastened in place around the rear and side portions of the pieces I? and 22. It will be understood that all thesepieces I1, 22 and 23 preferably extend at their lower edges only down to the line extending'all around the pad at the widest portions of the pad I. Next, I-cut out an eyelet strip 24 of monks cloth which isdusted. on the underside with plaster of Paris and fastened onto the highest or ridge linev of the front of the foot by latex, which is applied over the corresponding portion of the front piece H for this purpose. The front end of the eyelet strip 24 extends down over the top of the bi toe. Two pieces. of terry cloth 25 and 26 are now made of the same shape and size as the pieces I? and 22 so that their lower edges can be puckered and cut out similarly, but with the vertical edges of the piece 25 located farther towards the front than the vertical edges of piece l1 and the vertical edges of the piece 26 located farther toward the rear than the vertical edges of piece 22, so that the vertical edges of the two pieces 25 and 2t abut to form'even joints. It will be understood that instead of the terry cloth used for this purpose, I may use a flexible leather and in fact, if desired, I may use such leather for all the outside surfaces ofthe finished shoe. The undersides of these two pieces. 2.5. and 26 are now dusted with plaster of Paris, and after a very generous coating of the latexhas beenapplied on the pieces l"! and 22 the terry cloth pieces 25 and-26 are. caused to adhere thereto and conform to the curvaturesof the foot, as defined in the pieces 11 and 2.2. There will, of course, be. a. pucker and cutout. at thefront of the terrycloth piece 25. like thelcut out 2| in the front piece I].

The whole top surface of the terry cloth on theshoe is now dusted with plaster ofParis and there is. then brushed into the terry cloth surfacev a. layer of. the latex of the character above referred to, except that it is preferably a thinner liquid having a consistency substantially that. of. thick. milk. This will set. on the surface carrying the, plaster of Paris to produce a. gel. The formation of the gel can be expedited by applying an electric. fan to produce a current of air for this purpose, for approximately 15. minutes. or any other desired time, which will be sufiicient to enable the shoe to hold. its shape or set,.esp.ecially due tov the drying effect on the latex of. the plaster of Parisand due to any chemical effect of the plaster of Paris on. the materials suspended in the latex. The wearer now rests the calf of his leg horizon.- tally on a cushion on a stool located on the said table. Thereupon, by means of a pencil, a design line, for trimming off the margin of .the pieces [4, H and 23, is. drawn around the .marginofthe. sole or platform desired to indicate the position ofthe outer edge of the pieces I? and 23 to be retained inthe shoe when finished. This outer edgemay provide a platform for the shoe having different thicknesses, as hereinafter referred to, around different. portions of the foot, if desired. but the said outer edge line will in any event be located. preferably above the line of greatest width, of the The marginal portion of the layer Hi which has been fastened in place by the latex layer I5 is then loosened up around the pad and the edge: thereof is trimmed on down to the design line made with a pencil, just referred to. The pad! :is nowremoved from the layer l4, leavingthe pyramid [6 with a cofferdam formed by the margin of the set layer it which retains its positionxdue to the latex on the underside resulting from applying the latex and the latex that has been ape plied to the other side of the layer i i. This leaves on. the undersurface of the shoe, after the removal of the pad as aforesaid, a surface which is. then coated with the latex whilethe fabric issup+- ported against the undersurface of the foot,,;in'- cluding the toes, thus further aiding in retainingthe position and shape of the toe-recess pyramid. and the cofferdam. V

I now mix a mud. of any desired character, which will set or harden within the coiferdam formed beneath the shoe as well as in the pyramid l5 therein and'which, for instance, may bemade withany desired finely divided filling material, such as wood flour; etc. Fort-his purpose, by way of example, I may mix with any of the different forms of latex, but especially neoprene latex, 2 parts by volume of cork flour, 4 partsby volume; of balsa wood flour and 1 part byvolume of pine wood flour. It is found that this composition:is desirable as the cork flour alone causes the latex to gel too fast and the balsa wood flour alone. causes the latex to gel too slowly, although cork flour or balsa wood flour can be used alone. The pine wood flour aids in the smooth spreading of. the mud with a spatula. These proportions can be varied widely, in accordance with the chemical and gelling properties of the particular latex used, or for any other reason. Furthermore, the pine wood flour can be omitted, if desired. or pine wood flour alone can be used with natural or any other latex. Also, cork wood flour alone could be used or balsa wood flour alone as a filling, although they have certain disadvantages when used alone, as referred to above. The wood flour is mixed with the thick latex in sumcient quantity up to a point where the material just begins to be shred-like but while still remaining plastic. This mixture is preferably made homogeneous by mixing the same in a bowl with a spoon. While the shoe is still on the foot, but with the leg extended horizontally over the stool, a layer of thick latex is applied to the whole undersurface of the pyramid and the enclosure made by the cofferdam formed by the edge of the layer HI, including the extreme edge thereof, which may have therein layers of many fabrics comprising the marginal portion of the cloth I4 and the marginal portions of the pieces ll, 22, 25 and 25. With the spatula the mud is buttered into the pyramid and cavity formed by the coiferdam, as shown in Fig. 22, the upper part of the shoe acting as a baflie formed by the more or less hardened plastic materials used in producing the said upper portion of the shoe, until preferably a crown, more or less, is

formed at the outer surface of the coiferdam at the discretion of the operator. The entire top or outer surface of the mud is now made wet with a layer of the thick latex, the spatula being used to smear the latex and mud into the crevices, as desired, while it is very wet. The outer surface of the mud is now again made wet with another layer of thick latex and a burlap piece 21 is applied to cover the whole undersurface of the shoe, as shown in Figs. 2 and 22, the burlap having been previously powdered onto the top side thereof with plaster of Paris and being applied against the wet outer surface of the mud. This mud is allowed to set for about five minutes, a fan being used to aid the setting, if desired, until a soft but more or less stiff plastic is formed from the mud. The excess margin of the burlap piece 21 is now trimmed off to conform with the margin of the layer of cloth [4. Thereupon the foot is lowered onto the table with the leg vertical and the weight of the leg or body is allowed to press on the shoe while the wearer is sitting or standing. The weight of the wearer being more or less applied to the shoe in this way, will not only produce a fiat undersurface for the sole of the shoe but will also complete the accurate conformation of the pyramid IB between the toes and the sole of the foot, due to the entry of the moldable plastic mud into the interstices of the pyramid cavity beneath the layer of monks cloth Hi. In addition, the weight thus applied to the shoe, which is resting on the table, gives to the shoe the correct angular position of the foot to the supporting surface of the table, resulting in the sole of the shoe taking on,

at the different portions of the latter, varying thicknesses to provide and retain the natural angular relation between the individual foot and the supporting surface of the shoe, which, in this instance, is the top of the table. This retention in the shoe of the natural angle of the'particular foot to the floor or other supporting surface could not accurately be provided by more theoretical calculation in the building of a shoe. In other words, the upper portion of the shoe, which is on the foot above the sole or cavity containing the mud, produces a bafile holding the upper portion of the foot in the correct position in which it was formed by the presence of the supporting pad I, and after the removal of the supporting pad I and the molding of the body of mud beneath the foot while the foot is supported within the baffle on the upper portion of the foot, 3, shoe is obtained conforming accurately to the natural contours of the foot.

With a pencil, a line 28 is now drawn around the upper portion of the shoe indicating the upper shoe line to which the top of the shoe is to extend, this line being preferably located below the ankle bone and extending around the tendon at the rear of the foot. Another pencil line is now made down the upper ridge portion at the front of the foot and the shoe is then cut open down this ridge line with a pair of scissors, as shown in Fig. 3. The shoe is thereupon opened out a little along the ridge line and the foot is lifted out of the shoe. A little of the latex is now placed on one of the edges at the ridge line and a little plaster of Paris is placed along the opposite edge at the ridge line and the two edges are joined together temporarily thereby so as to preserve the shape of the shoe. Thereupon the shoe is turned over with the sole portion pointing upwardly, the whole bottom of the shoe is painted with the thick latex and a piece of terry cloth 29, having the underside which is to be applied to the shoe powdered with plaster of Paris, is now placed over the bottom or sole portion of the shoe and the shoe turned over into its upright position. The edges of the layer 29 are then trimmed off flush with the edges of the sole portion of the shoe and the materials of the shoe are allowed to set in the air with the aid of a fan, or not, for about three hours. Thereafter, the shoe is turned upside down again, a small amount of the plaster of Paris is dusted over the bottom of the shoe and a thin latex is then brushed thereon. Due to the plaster of Paris powder, the outer surface of the sole of the shoe can be built up in this way by alternate applications of the plaster of Paris and latex to give the desired thickness on the bottom of the shoe for obtaining the desired wear. Strings are now attached to the irregular edges of the upper portion of the shoe and. the shoe is hung thereby in a drier or in the atmosphere, preferably, for twelve to twenty-four hours. After this, the upper edge of the shoe is trimmed around the marginal line 28 previously drawn for this purpose, as above referred to, and the shoe is also cut open along the upper ridge line, and along each side of the upper ridge line a marginal portion, which may be about in width, is out off in order to efiectively reduce the size of the shoe and furnish, as a consequence, an effective fit of the foot on which it was made. The upper edges of the shoe, both along these marginal cut outs of the ridge line and along the topmost edge of the shoe, can now be finished by applying a little latex thereto. Eyelets 30 are now provided along both sides of the ridge line in the shoe to provide holes for laces 3| therein.

Now the shoes are placed on the individual for whom they were made and are worn a little but not too violently in the first two days, for instance a few steps merely being taken on the first day. After the third day the shoes can be worn outdoors by walking or even running but the materials therein have not by that time completely set, so that the wearing of the shoes in this way will cause them to acquire a dynamic shape of the,

feet in action. The materials in the shoes will have completely set within ten days, however.

An electrical conductor 32, in the form of a soft metal wire or a wire formed into a strand with some textile fibre, as for instance cotton, may now be inserted, going entirely through the shoe so as to form an electrical contact between the body and the ground to minimize oreliminate heating of the feet.

The entire shoe may now receive any desired decoration, as for instance by spraying on a rubber cement and applying over the shoe a powder of any desired material having any desired color, as for instance a bronze powder. Any other desired decoration can be incorporated in the shoe, if desired, as for instance by introducing a dye into the latex or by locating one or more cords underneath the outermost layer, as for instance as shown in my Patent No. 2,332,000, upon Method of Manufacturing Shoes, granted October 19, 1943. Furthermore, if found desirable, the upper margin of the shoe can be provided on the inside of the shoe with a finishing strip of leather or other material 33.

The above procedure may be modified, if desired, to complete the shoe, by a different sequence of steps. The procedure for this purpose may be exactly the same as above described up to and including the point where the two layers of terry cloth 25 and 26 are applied to the outside of the shoe. Thereafter the procedure would be different to the following extent. The shoe may be cut down the front thereof opposite the top front ridge line of the foot, and the foot then removed from the shoe. The two edges formed by cutting on the ridge line may then have marginal portions removed from each of the same by a /8" or other width of the material, as above described, and the two resulting edges of the shoe may be then stuck together, also as above described, by applying plaster of Paris and latex to the two edges, respectively. The pad I, it will be noted, is still in the shoe. The shoe is then set up in front of a fan, or in the air without a fan, for about two hours to allow the materials to partially set. The terry cloth on the outside of the shoe is then dusted over with plaster of Paris and latex is brushed thereon and the shoe allowed to remain in a current of air from the fan for several hours. The edges of the shoe, at the top thereof, are now trimmed down to the line 28 in the manner previously described and the shoe is opened down the front line corresponding to the ridge line. The eyelets 39 and laces 3| are now introduced along the two edges near the ridge line and the shoe is allowed to stand until the next day, to allow further preliminary setting of the materials. After this, the pad I is removed from the upper by stripping the edges of the layer M loose therefrom and trimming down the said edges to form the coiferdam along the design line, as previously described. After this, the individual wearer puts on the portion of the shoe thus obtained and laces it up. From this point on, the modified form of the process is exactly the same as, after the removal of the pad I as in the process previously described herein, the cofferdam formed by the edge of the layer I4 is then filled with the mud and subjected to the pressure produced by the weight of the leg or body to form effectively the pyramid and fit the contours of the foot while the upper portion of the foot is retained firmly in position by the more or less hardened materials which have been used in producing the upper portion of the shoe, so that the latter forms a baffle during the molding of the lower or sole portion of the shoe against the undersurface of the foot.

While I have described my invention above in detail I wish it to be understood that many changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the same. For instance, the fabrics used may be substituted by any other desired fabrics. Also, the shoe can be built on a foot form such as a-castor last conforming to the shape of the foot but, of course, not-so advantageously, especially in regard to the conformation of the sole portion of the shoe. When proceeding in this way, however, a foot support having the shape of the foot outline need not be used.

I claim:

1. The process which comprises providing a convex support, comprising a container of finely divided flowable material, for the bottom of a foot substantially conforming to the marginal outline thereof, building an upper having a flexible underneath layer attached thereto containing a toe-recess pyramid pushed up into said layer on the foot, the upper being built while the foot is on and supported from said support, applying latex to said layer during the process, removing the support from said layer after allowing the setting of the latex, and introducing into the space left by the removed support a plastic moldable mass of supporting material, conforming the plastic mass to the outwardly directed surface of said layer while the plastic is moldable and allowing the plastic to set.

2. The process which comprises providing a. convex support, comprising a container of finely divided flowable material, for the bottom of a foot substantially conforming to the marginal outline thereof, building an upper having a flexible underneath layer attached thereto containing a toe-recess pyramid pushed up into said layer on the foot, the upper being built while the foot is on and supported from said support, applying latex to said layer during the process, said upper being made out of a sheet material and a rubberlike binder, removing the support from said layer after allowing the setting of said latex, pushing the underneath layer up into the pyramidal cavity at the rear of and between the toes and introducing into the space left by the removed support a plastic moldable mass of supporting material, allowing the binder to harden, conforming the plastic to the contours of the bottom of the foot beneath said layer while the plastic is moldable and allowing the plastic to set after allow ing the weight of the foot to press thereon.

3. The process which comprises providing a. convex support, comprising a container of finely divided flowable material, for the bottom of a foot substantially conforming to the marginal outline thereof, building an upper having a flexible underneath layer attached thereto containing a toe-recess pyramid pushed up into said layer on the foot, the upper being built while the foot is on and supported from said support, applying latex to said layer during the process, removing the support from said layer after allowing the setting of the latex, trimming off the edges of the underneath layer to the desired width to form a cofferdam, and introducing into the space left by the removed support a plastic moldable mass.

of supporting material.

4. The process which comprises providing a convex support, comprising a container of finely divided flowable material, for the bottom of a foot substantially conforming to the marginal outline thereof, building an upper having a flexible underneath layer wider than said upper on the foot, the upper being built while the foot is on and supported from said support, applying latex to said layer during the process and sticking the margin of the underneath layer to the pad while forming puckers which are cut off, removing the support from said layer after setting of the latex, and introducing into the space left by the removed support a plastic moldable mass of supporting material, conforming the plastic mass to the outwardly directed surface of said layer while the plastic is moldable and allowing the plastic to set.

5. The process which comprises building an upper on a foot having a sheet of material on the underside thereof, which was pushed up manually into the pyramid located between the toes and the ball of the foot, applying latex to the said sheet of material, said upper to the margin of said sheet, and introducing a plastic into the said pyramid and over the entire under- 12 neath portion of the foot to'produce a sole when hardened.

ALAN E. MURRAY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

V UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 

